Systems and methods for targeted therapeutic nasal neuromodulation

Abstract

The invention provides systems and methods providing precision targeting of neural structures for the treatment of a condition while avoiding collateral damage to surrounding structures, such as blood vessels and/or other nerve tissue. The invention further provides systems and methods for treating at least one of rhinitis, congestion, and/or rhinorrhea via thrombus formation. The invention further provides systems and methods for detection, identification, and precision targeting of neural tissue for the treatment of a neurological condition while minimizing or avoiding collateral damage to surrounding or adjacent non-neural tissue, such as blood vessels and bone, as well as non-targeted neural tissue.

1 . A system for treating a condition within a nasal cavity of a patient, the system comprising:
 a device comprising an end effector including a plurality of electrodes; and   a controller operably associated with the device and configured to:
 receive data from the device associated at least with presence and/or a depth/location of neural tissue at a position of each of the plurality of electrodes within the nasal cavity; and 
 process the data to determine a level of energy to be delivered by each of the plurality of electrodes such that the energy delivered at each position by each of the plurality of electrodes is sufficient to modulate/ablate the neural tissue at each position and minimize and/or prevent damage to an artery or arterial wall adjacent to the neural tissue at each position. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a subset of the plurality of electrodes is configured to sense at least the presence and/or depth/location of neural tissue at the position of each of the plurality of electrodes and deliver data associated with the depths to the controller. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein a subset of the plurality of electrodes is configured to deliver non-therapeutic stimulating energy to respective positions within the nasal cavity at a frequency/waveform for locating neural tissue and further sense one or more properties, including at least the presence and/or depth/location of the neural tissue in response to the non-therapeutic stimulating energy. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to tune energy output from each of the plurality of electrodes after an initial level of energy has been delivered based, at least in part, on feedback data received from the device. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the feedback data is associated with efficacy of ablation of the neural tissue at each position during and/or after delivery of initial energy from each of the plurality of electrodes. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the feedback data comprises one or more properties associated with neural tissue at respective positions within the nasal cavity, the one or more properties comprising at least one of physiological properties, bioelectric properties, and thermal properties. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein a subset of the plurality of electrodes is configured to deliver non-therapeutic stimulating energy to respective positions within the nasal cavity at a frequency for locating neural tissue and sense one or more properties associated with the neural tissue in response to the non-therapeutic stimulating energy, wherein the properties comprise at least one of physiological properties, bioelectric properties, and thermal properties. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the bioelectric properties comprise at least one of complex impedance, resistance, reactance, capacitance, inductance, permittivity, conductivity, nerve firing voltage, nerve firing current, depolarization, hyperpolarization, magnetic field, and induced electromotive force. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the electrodes are configured to be independently controlled and activated by the controller to thereby deliver energy independent of one another. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein at least some of the electrodes have different levels of energy to be delivered at respective positions sufficient to ablate neural tissue at the respective positions. 
     
     
         11 .- 43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . A system for treating a peripheral neurological condition, the system comprising:
 a device comprising an end effector including a plurality of electrodes; and   a controller operably associated with the device and configured to:
 receive data from the device associated at least with presence and/or a depth/location of neural tissue at a position of each of the plurality of electrodes relative to one or more target sites; and 
 process the data to determine a level of energy to be delivered by each of the plurality of electrodes such that the energy delivered at each position by each of the plurality of electrodes is sufficient to ablate the neural tissue at each position and minimize and/or prevent collateral damage to surrounding or adjacent non-neural tissue including bloods vessels and bone and non-targeted neural tissue and/or minimize and/or prevent damage to an artery or arterial wall adjacent to the neural tissue at each position. 
   
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein a subset of the plurality of electrodes is configured to sense at least the presence and/or depth/location of neural tissue at the position of each of the plurality of electrodes and deliver data associated with the depths/locations to the controller. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 45 , wherein a subset of the plurality of electrodes is configured to deliver non-therapeutic stimulating energy to respective positions at the one or more target sites at a frequency/waveform for locating neural tissue and further sense one or more properties, including at least the presence and/or depth/location of the neural tissue in response to the non-therapeutic stimulating energy. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the controller is configured to tune energy output from each of the plurality of electrodes after an initial level of energy has been delivered based, at least in part, on feedback data received from the device. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein the feedback data is associated with efficacy of modulation/ablation of the neural tissue at each position during and/or after delivery of initial energy from each of the plurality of electrodes. 
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 48 , wherein the feedback data comprises one or more properties associated with neural tissue at respective positions at the one or more target sites, the one or more properties comprising at least one of physiological properties, bioelectric properties, and thermal properties. 
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein a subset of the plurality of electrodes is configured to deliver non-therapeutic stimulating energy to respective positions at the one or more target sites at a frequency/waveform for locating neural tissue and sense one or more properties associated with the neural tissue in response to the non-therapeutic stimulating energy, wherein the properties comprise at least one of physiological properties, bioelectric properties, and thermal properties. 
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 50 , wherein the bioelectric properties comprise at least one of complex impedance, resistance, reactance, capacitance, inductance, permittivity, conductivity, nerve firing voltage, nerve firing current, depolarization, hyperpolarization, magnetic field, and induced electromotive force. 
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein at least some of the electrodes are configured to be independently controlled and activated by the controller to thereby deliver energy independent of one another. 
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 52 , wherein at least some of the electrodes have different levels of energy to be delivered at respective positions sufficient to modulate/ablate neural tissue at the respective positions. 
     
     
         54 .- 98 . (canceled)